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Battle of Raven Meadow
The '''Battle of Raven Meadow '''marked the second major engagement between the forces of the Kingdom of Stormwind and the Confederacy of the South Seas. Fought on the 20th of November, in the year 625 of the King's Calendar, the battle took place on the outskirts of the town of Darkshire in the province of Duskwood. Compared to the preceding engagement at Southpass, Raven Meadow featured relatively large armies fighting in pitched battle over the course of the day. Both sides took heavy casualties, but the defense of Darkshire was achieved and many consider the confrontation a draw in a tactical sense, but a strategic victory for Stormwind. Prelude and Armies The battle at Raven Meadow was the second major confrontation in a series of skirmishes and battles that comprised the Confederacy's campaign to raid the southernmost borderlands of the Kingdom of Stormwind. The goal of the Confederacy was to weaken the presence of Stormwind in Duskwood, in order to then raid and pillage Darkshire and the surrounding estates and villages. Stormwind, of course, wished to defend their interests. Since the battle at Southpass Bridge, the Crown had realized the severity and threat the Confederacy posed, and immediately sent four regiments south to assist the Night Watch militia. In addition, the royalist forces sent a detachment of cannon to provide support. Overall, the royal forces numbered at around 160 soldiers. Meanwhile, the Confederates had by now regrouped a majority of their own forces, marshaling them at the border and marching them towards Darkshire. Their retinue numbered at about 200, with support from cavalry and cannon. Battle Fighting began relatively early in the day, with minor skirmishes starting at around midday. Both armies began to prepare for the inevitable confrontation, with the battle beginning in earnest by late afternoon. The Third Regiment, supported by a detachment of Night Watch militia, held the main line on the royalist front for some time until reinforcements arrived in the way of the First Regiment. The Sixth Regiment marched south alongside the Fifth, with the two splitting off near the border with Duskwood. The Sixth held position on the right-most flank of the royalist line, defending a key pass into the town of Darkshire. The Fifth sat as a rested reserve until the closing moments of the battle. Meanwhile, the Confederates utilized cannon to great effect, bombarding the royalist line before beginning an assault. They also placed cavalry and mounted gunners on their flanks, encircling royalist forces in smaller pockets that could be easily handled and crushed. Overall, the first half of the battle could be characterized as a stagnant dead-lock. A brief moment of respite during the middle of the battle, wherein it is reported that the Confederates called for a ceasefire. They stated that they wished to allow both sides to gather their wounded, dying, and dead before carrying on the fight. Stormwind commanders, led at the time by Captain Jonathan De Vries, replied to their call for a ceasefire with the terms being that the Confederacy must surrender and leave the field. The Confederacy denied Stormwind surrender, and proceeded to execute scores of royalist infantry that were wounded during the fighting. Stormwind's own forces took in Confederate prisoners, rather than executing them. The battle then commenced once more, with it finally ending when both sides became too exhausted to carry on. Aftermath According to reports, both sides did not choose to chase the other. The Confederates and the royalists both had taken heavy losses, with numbers for both sides ranging from around 60 to 70 dead. Many more were wounded, due to the heavy use of cannon bombardment. Confederate commanders considered the battle tactically inconclusive, but understood that the heavy loss of life and resources meant that they would not be able to pursue an active offensive campaign from there on out. Royalist forces concluded that the battle was a strategic victory, considering that they denied the Confederacy the right to enter the town of Darkshire. However, they too took into the account the inability to pursue the Confederacy and to follow up their victory at Raven Meadow. Regardless, the battle served as the high watermark for the Confederacy's campaign. They would now have to pursue a strategy of defense, attempting to actively deny Stormwind another pitched battle.Category:Events Category:The First Regiment Category:Confederacy of the South Seas